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Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science pp 1–12Cite as

Brittle Tectonics: A Nonlinear Dynamic System

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Definition of the Subject

Brittle deformation is the primary mode of deformation of the Earth’s crust. At the long timescale it is manifested by faulting and on the short timescale by earthquakes. It is one of the best-known examples of a system exhibiting self-organized criticality. A full understanding of this system is essential to the evaluation of earthquake hazard.

Introduction

The upper part of the Earth’s crust is brittle and under a state of all-round compression. It responds to deformation by faulting: the formation and propagation of shear cracks. The crack walls support normal stresses, and hence fault propagation must overcome not only the rupture resistance of the fault tips but friction between its interior interfaces. This friction is usually velocity weakening, such that any slippage results in stick–slip instability. The resulting dynamically running crack-like shear instability radiates elastic waves, producing the shaking known as an earthquake. Thus brittle...

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Abbreviations

Ductile shear zone:

A quasi-planar tabular zone of localized shear deformation in the semi-brittle to fully plastic regimes.

Earthquake:

Dynamically running shear instability on a fault.

Fault:

A shear crack with friction between its interfaces.

Mylonite:

A metamorphic rock with a fabric produced by shear deformation.

Suprafault:

The shear relaxation structure that includes a fault and its associated ductile shear zone.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, New York, USA

    Christopher H. Scholz

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  1. Christopher H. Scholz
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Correspondence to Christopher H. Scholz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ramtech Ltd., Larkspur, California, USA

    Robert A. Meyers

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Scholz, C.H. (2014). Brittle Tectonics: A Nonlinear Dynamic System. In: Meyers, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27737-5_44-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27737-5_44-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27737-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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